Oregon Gov Candidate: End Gridlock By Adding a Lane to Every Freeway
It's not that unusual to see politicians approaching the problem of traffic congestion with a childlike simplicity. But Oregon gubernatorial candidate Bud Pierce's "solution" to eliminate gridlock in the Portland area might be the most infantile of them all. Pierce wants to add a lane to every major freeway in the region and "Presto!" -- problem solved. (You can watch Pierce make his pitch in the video at the bottom of this post.)
February 18, 2016
4 Things Schools Can Do to Reduce the Asthma Threat From Idling Cars
Lately, American schools have been pretty responsive to public health and safety threats facing children. Witness the rise of peanut butter bans or the dwindling number of vending machines in schools.
February 17, 2016
What Will It Take to Save Bike-Share in Seattle?
Seattle's bike-share system, Pronto, is in trouble. Pronto is currently run as a private non-profit, but to continue operations, it needs a $1.4 million injection of city funds by the end of March, Tom Fucoloro at Seattle Bike Blog reports.
February 17, 2016
Cincinnati Preservation Board Says Historic Building Needs More Parking
An office developer wants to rehab a derelict 88,000-square-foot historic building right along Cincinnati's almost-finished streetcar line. This is exactly what should happen, right?
February 16, 2016
Traffic Engineers Still Rely on a Flawed 1970s Study to Reject Crosswalks
When St. Louis decided not to maintain colorful new crosswalks that residents had painted, the city's pedestrian coordinator cited federal guidance. A 2011 FHWA memo warns that colorful designs could "create a false sense of security" for pedestrians and motorists.
February 12, 2016
A Bigger Transit Benefit Is No Match for America’s Parking Tax Perk
Late last year Congress finally moved to boost the maximum commuter tax benefit for transit riders to the same level that car commuters receive. That means transit riders can buy up to $255 in fares each month with pre-tax income, just like drivers can pay for $255 in parking expenses with pre-tax income.
February 12, 2016
Where Are the Best Places for Protected Intersections in Your City?
Protected intersections are the best new thing in American bike infrastructure since, well, protected bike lanes. They greatly reduce the potential for turning conflicts between drivers and cyclists -- left turns on a bike, especially, become easier and less stressful -- and they make pedestrian crossings much safer too.
February 11, 2016
Washington State GOP Claims a Scalp in the Name of Socialized Roads
Republicans in the Washington State Senate are sending a message: Don't mess with our socialized highways. To show they're serious about subsidizing roads, they ended the tenure of Washington DOT chief Lynn Peterson.
February 10, 2016
Obama’s Last Budget Lays Out a Smart Vision for American Transportation
The White House released its 2017 budget [PDF] this morning, which includes more detail about the exciting but politically doomed transportation proposal President Obama outlined last week. Obama's plan doesn't have a chance in the current Congress, but it shows what national transportation policy centered on reducing greenhouse gas emissions might look like.
February 9, 2016
More Driving, More People Dying on America’s Streets
On Friday, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration released new data [PDF] showing that traffic deaths are up. Up quite a bit.
February 9, 2016